Motion-picture camera



R. STRINGHAM. MOTION PICTURE CAMERA.

APPLICATloN FILED DEC. .12. |917.

Patented Deo. 14, 1920.

mi*am"ll OFFICE.

GEORGE R, STRINGHAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO MARTIN V. KELLEY, TRUSTEE, F NEW@ YORK, N. Y.

i morren-PICTURE CAMERA.

HAM, a `'citizen of the United States, and a 'resident .of the boroughof Manhattan, city, county, and State of NewYork, and having-apost-office address at No. 512 `Westl132nd street, New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Motion-Picture Cameras,of -whichthe following is a specification.

. My invention .relates to various new and useful improvements in motionpicture cameras, and particularly to the mechanism for actuatingtheshutter by which,`as well known, therlight is cut off from the filmduring the periods of movement'thereof.

lVith the developmentof the motion picture art it has been foundnecessary to equip cameras with means by which so-called dissolvingeffects are' secured. To this end the cameras are providedA withshutters, by which the light opening may be gradually opened or closed.Usuallythe maximum `shutter opening is 180O and in securing thedissolving yeffect this opening is gradually reduced untilfit iskentirely closed. With my improved" camera., I provide shutter' mechanismof simple and substantial character by which dissolving effects can besecured automatically as the camera operates. I also provide mechanismby which the speed of openingl or closing of the shutter maybepredetermined, thereby permitting a fade out or fade in to be secured intwo,

four, siX and eight feet of film, respectively,

. or such other lengths of film asmay be dev companying drawings forminga part of' this specification, in which n h Figure 1 1s a side elevationof my 1mproved shutter mechanism,

' in section,

Fig. 2 a front elevation of the same partly.

Fig. 3 a detail sectional View of the preferred tripping mechanism bywhich the shutter actuating mechanism is controlled,

Fig. l a detail view showingthe pointer for determining-the speed withwhich the Specification of Letters Patent.

shutter actuating mechanism is to be operated,

Fig. 5 a detail view showing the index by which the position of theshutter parts is indicated, and

Fig. 6 a separate plan .view of the shutter showing the sleeve formoving the shutter parts relatively.

In these views corresponding parts are represented by the same numeralsof reference.

1 represents the camera casing provided with the usual film boxes, lenstube and film .feeding devices, which may be of any suitable andimproved construction. The shutter which cuts off' the light during theperiods. ofmovement of the film is composed of two halves 2 and 3mounted so as to rotate as a whole but capable of. independent movementwith respect to each other so as to vary the extent of the opening Ll inthe usual way. One section 2 is carried directly on the shutter shaft 5and the other section 3 is carried on the sleeve G lwhich is mounted onsaid shaft. NIounted on the sleeve 6 is a sliding collar 7 having twopins 8 which engage spiral slots 9 vin the sleeve 6, so that by movingthe collar 7 longitudinally the sleeve 6 will be turned with respect tothe shaft 5 so as thus to move the shutter segments with respect to eachother and open or close the shutter opening. The sleeve 7 turns with theshaft 5, but. is movable longitudinally with respect to said shaft, andto this end one or both of the pins 8 engages a longitudinal slot orgroove in said shaft, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The shaft 5 isdriven by gears 10 from the crank handle of the camera in synchronismwith the film feeding mechanism in anysuitable way. The collar 7 ismoved longitudinally by a lever 11, having a yoke at its lower endprovided with pins 12 working in the groove 13 in said collar. The lever11 connects by a link 111V to a lever 15 mounted on the pivot 16 andwhose upper end is connected by a link 17 to a crank 18 on the rockshaft 19. Said rock shaft carries two segments 2O and 21 spaced a shortdistance apart and the inner face of each of which is provided with foursets of concentric teeth as shown. A gear 22 is located between thesegments 2O and 21 and is normally out of engagement Patented Dec. 14,1920.

v.llpplcation filed December 12, 1917. Serial No. 206,763.

' f With the gear teeth thereon.` This gear 22 is mounted on a shaft 23rto which continuous rotating movementis imparted v.and-the gear iscapable of being longitudinally moved, on the 'shaft to which it issplined, so' as to engage with any oneof the gear teeth on' the segment20 0121. rihis move: ment of the .gear 22 longitudinally on the shaft 23is effected by means of a lever 211 Whose forked inner end lengages agroove on theA boss or shank of the gear 22 and Whose outer end ispivotedconcentrically with the pivot 16. Y1`his lever 24C may beoperated in any suitable way,'preferably by a link 25 connected to acrank 2G on a -shaft 27 extending on the outside of the camera where itis provided with an indicator or pointer 28 made of spring metal, andwhosefree end is adapted to engage with any one of a number of openings29 indicating the speed with which the dissolving effect is tobe-secured. The shaft 19 is arranged to be moved longitudinally toengageone or the other of the segments 20 or 21 with the gear 22, Thismovement is secured in any suitable way, preferably by a lever 30,extending outside of the camera lcase and connected by .a universaljoint 31 to the end of the rock shaft 19. Two cams 32 and 33 are carriedby the rock shaft and are so arranged that when the rock shaft reachesthe end of its movement to fully open and close the shutter, one ofthecams will engage a Xed stud 34C' or 35, whereby the rock shaft Will bemoved longitudinally so as to automatically disengagc the segment 20 or21'from the gear 22 and thus arrest the turning-movement of the rochshaft 19 which effects the relative movement of the shutter section 3with respect to the section 2. A finger or indicator 36 on the free endof the lshaft 19` cooperates with a suitable scale on the outside of thecamera casing, as shown in Fig. .3, thereby showing at all times to theoperator the position of said shaft and hence the relationship of the'shutter sections to eac-h other. y

In operation, when the camera is operating normally, the gear 22occupies a midway position between the segments 2O and 21 so that theturning of the gear will operate neither of said segments. The shutterwill therefore operate in the usual way. lVhen it is desired` to securea` dissolving effect the operator first determines what the speed vshallbe. If he decides that the effect shall be very rapid, he operatesl thelinger piece 28so as to elevate the gear 22 to its uppermost positionthereby engaging the uppermost or shortest line of gear teeth on thesegment 2O or 21. He now moves the lever 30 on the outside of the cameracase so as to shift the rock shaft 19 and cause one or the other` of.the segmentsl20 or 21 to engage the gear 22'; As the gear 22 rotates ittherefore will swing the segment and rock'the shaft 19 at a speeddependent upon the gear ratio. The rocking of the shaft 19 causes thecrank 18 to swing and through the links 1/1 and 17 and lever '15, thesliding collar 7 will be moved lonshaft 19 in the opposite direction,ycausing the other segment to engage with the e'ear 22, the rotation ofwhich partially rotates the rock shaft in the opposite direction andreturning the shutter sections to their former position. i '4 lflavingnow 'described my invention, 'what l claim as new therein and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is as follows;

1. In a motion picture camera, the combination with a two part rotaryshutter, the part-s of which are adapted to move rela-l tively, ofmechanism for moving said parts to open or close the'light openingl`means for manually bringing said mechanism into operative condition, andmeans coordinated with the l'ilm feed for automatically'arresting themechanism when the shutter parts have completed their full open or fullclosed movement, substantially as set forth. l

2. n a motion picture camerav` the combination with a two part rot-aryshutter,

whose parts are adapted to move relatively to open or close the lightopening, of mechanism for moving said parts relatively, said mechanismbeing normally disengaged, means for manually engaging said mechanism tomove the shutter parts relatively, and means coordinated"with the filmfeed for automatically arresting the movement of the shutter parts whenin their full open or full closed position, substantially as forth.

In a motion picture camera, the combination of a two part rotaryshutter, whose parts are adapted to move relatively to open or close thelight opening, a pair of opposed toothed segments connected with theshutter to move the parts thereof relatively, a driving gear between thesegments and normally out of mesh with both of the same, and

ymeans to engage said gear with one or the other of said segments toeffect relative movement of the shutter parts, substantially assetforth. Y

4. In amotion picture camera, the combination of a two part rotaryshutter whose parts'are adapted to move relatively to open forautomatically disengaging the gear from.

the segment when the shutter parts have completed their relativemovement, substan- Vtially as set forth.

5, 1n a` motion picture camera, the combination of a two part rotaryshutter, whose parts are adapted to move relatively to open or close thelight opening, two opposed toothed segments connected with the shutterfor moving said parts relatively to each other, a iixed gear locatedbetween the segments but normally out of mesh with both of the same andmeans for moving the segnents manually to cause one or the other to`engage with.said gear. substantially as set forth.

6. ln a motion jpicture camera, the combination of a two part rotaryshutter, whose parts are' adapted to move relatively to open or closethelight opening, two opposed.

toothed segments connected with the sluitter for moving said partsrelatively to each other, a fixed gear locate-d between the seg- `mentsbut normally out of mesh with both of the same, means for moving thesegments manually to ycause one or the other to engage with said gear,and means for automatically-shifting the segments to arrest movementthereof when the shutter parts have been moved to their full open orfull closed position, substantially as set forth,

T. I n a motion picture camera, the combinationoi a two part rotaryshutter whose parts are adapted to move relatively to open or close thelight opening, a' segment connected with the shutter parts and adaptedtomove themrelativcly, a plurality of sets of concentric teeth on saidsegment. and a driving gear adapted to engage with any one of said setsof teeth whereby the relative speed in opening or closing the sluitteropening may be varied, substantially asset forth.

8. 1n a motion picture camera, the combination with a two part rotaryshutter whose parts are adapted to be moved relatively to open or closethe light opening, of a segment connected with the shutter parts to movethem relatively, a plurality ot sets of concentric teeth on the segment,a gear adapted to be brought into mesh with any one of said sets ofteeth to operate the segment at the'desired speed, and means to au`tomatically disengage the segment and gear when the shutter parts havemoved to their full open or full closed position, substantially as' setforth.

9. n a motion picture camera, the combi 11a-tion of a two part rotaryshutter whose .parts are adapted to be moved relatively to open or closethe light opening, a pair of segments each formedwith a plurality ofsets of concentric teeth, a gear centrally arranged between the segments.andnormallyA out of mesh with the same, means for mov-,

ing the gear to bring it into line with any one of the sets of teeth,and means for engaging the gear with either of said segments whereby theshutter paits will be opened or closed at a predetermined speed,substantially as set forth.

10. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a two part rotaryshutter whose parts are adapted to be moved relatively to open or closethe light opening, a pair of segments each formed with a plurality ofsets of concentric teeth, a gear centrally arranged between the segmentsand normally out ot mesh with the same, means for moving the gear tobring it into line with any one of the sets of teeth, means for engagingthe gear with either of saiid segments, whereby the lshutter parts willbe opened or closed at a predetermined speed, and means for disengagingthe segments and gear when the shutter parts are moved to their fullopen and full closed position, substantially as set forth.

11. In a motion picture camera, the combination of a two part rotaryshutter whose parts are movable relatively to open or close the lightopening, a pair of segments having a plurality of opposed sets ofconcentric teeth, a driving gear arranged between the segments andnormally out of mesh with the saine, means for adjusting. said gear tobring it into line with any one of said sets of teeth, and means forshifting the segments to engage either one with said gear, whereby theshutter parts will be opened or lclosed at a predetermined speed,substantially as set forth. j

12. 1n a motion picture camera, the com'- bination of a two part rotaryshutter whose parts are movable relatively to open or close the lightopening, a pair of segments having a plurality of 'opposed sets ofconcentric teeth, a driving gear arranged between the segments andnormally out of mesh with the same. means. for adjusting s aidgear tobring it into line with any one of said sets of teeth, means forshifting the seg- .ments to engage either one with said gear,

sol

with relation to eaeh other, driving means tor the leaves, and meansactuated trom said driving means to ehange the relative positions otlthe leaves during their movement by said driving means,

llt. ik shutter meehanism. embodying a pair ot' movable leaves spaeedlyadiustable with relation to each other. driving meansl for the leaves.Aand means to change the relative posit-ions ol the leaves during theirmovement by said driving means. so as to vary the opening between theleaves svn- I ehronously with the movement ot the leavesl I 16.Cinematographie apparatus eompris mg a main shutter having` a lightopening therein, an auxiliary shutter for varying the effective openingin the main shutter, driving means tor Continuously moving the twoshutters in s vinhronism reeurrently to shutter the transmission otlight, adjusting means actuated by the driving In xans for moving theauxiliarY shutter relatively to the main shutter while the shutters arein operation. thereby to var v the etl'eetive opening 1n the mainshutter. and means for auto- .matieally7 disengaging the adjusting means`from the driving means when the el'l'eetive opening has been varied apretletermined amount` whereb)v the ett'eetive opening is thenmaintained constant.

Thisspecification signed and witnessed this` 30th day ot' October, 1917.Y

GEORGE ll. STRINGHAM. Witnesses A. E. RnN'roN, JOSEPHINE G. McDnRMo'r'r.

